Top 3 Disney theme park scams to avoid

Many timeshare companies advertise free or heavily discounted theme park tickets for Walt Disney World or Disneyland. But there’s a catch. To get your free tickets you must attend a timeshare presentation which can last around 90 minutes – 2 hours. Far from being relaxed affairs, these presentations often lay on the pressure to buy into a timeshare and can be quite intimidating to many. If you think you can stand the heavy sales pitch and pressure, take a few moments to read the small print. Conditions are usually quite specific, and to qualify for the offer a minimum income is usually required, along with showing a major credit card before the presentation begins, and other strict terms. Some “free” offers also require you to book a package stay at one of their hotels to qualify for the tickets.

2. Buying second hand tickets

Driving around the areas surrounding the theme parks you may spot stores offering second hand Disney theme park tickets. A look on ebay will also reveal many sellers offering second hand tickets. Whether they’re offered as unused tickets or tickets with a few days remaining on them, our advice is to stay well clear. The only way to find out if there are any days remaining on the tickets is to go to the entrance gates or guest services at the theme parks, by which time it’s too late as you’ll have already parted with your hard-earned money. Stick to accredited Disney ticket sellers* and only buy new tickets unless you want to risk disappointment and losing your cash.

3. Buying FASTPASS tickets

A quick search on ebay will reveal numerous Disney FASTPASS tickets for sale. FASTPASS is Walt Disney World’s answer to avoiding the long lines at popular park attractions. The basic idea is that you insert your park ticket into a machine and get a printed ticket for that particular attraction showing a one hour window in which to return to the attraction and use the FASTPASS queue, which offers a shorter wait than the regular queue. The service is completely free to anyone with a valid Disney park ticket.

FASTPASS tickets are only valid on the date issued for the time window printed on the ticket. Many ebay sellers claim that Disney Cast Members don’t check the dates and times on the tickets and they can therefore be used long after they’ve expired. This may once have been the case in some instances, but Disney have recently cracked down and all Disney ride and attraction attendants are instructed to reject FASTPASS tickets that aren’t stamped with the current date and time. All tickets are also now cut by the FASTPASS machines so that they have perforated edges, which attendants are told to feel for when allowing guests access to the FASTPASS queues.

Disney are also now experimenting with new technology which add bar codes to the tickets, to be read by bar code readers at attraction entrances.

In summary, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Have you been the victim of any of the scams mentioned above? Let us know!

3 thoughts on “Top 3 Disney theme park scams to avoid”

We got scammed into meeting a lady at the Contemporary Resort, who said she could get us into the park for 50.00 a person and we pay when we get in, She gave me four tickets and send me with another guy to the monorail, not long after she texted back stating she gave us the wrong tickets and I needed to go back to her, The whole situation was just shady. I handed the original tickets to the guy and said We would just pay full price. Found the person on craiglist

I received the following email and know it’s a scam by at least one item – maybe 2 items the Sender doesn’t think about.

Congratulations

You have won an all expense paid trip for two to Disney.

Congratulations; arthur giabbai You have won a trip to Disney/Orlando, Sponsored by Disney MGM Studios, Epcot and The Magic Kingdom! Sometime ago you signed up at one of our free offer giveaway sites. This email is to notify you that when you submitted the following information: artvgiab@hotmail.com arthur giabbai oklahoma city 73116 ok You have won an all expense paid trip for two to Disney. Please update your information at the winner’s site and we will promptly ship out your Disney tickets. Link to package
Thanks, Sue Madden
Travel Getaways, Inc.

I know this email is bull. I hope others will look and see the email for tale-telling signs.